BS & BO: Last two stinking years?

Both are considered lame ducks. Both presidents have another issue hounding them in common: migration.

Wait, there’s more.

The US and the Philippine economies are performing well. But will the statistics keep the last two years smelling like roses?

Growth of the US economy was fueled by “improvement across all sectors including consumer spending, residential and non-residential fixed investment, net exports and government spending,” the Economist reported early last month. “The economy powered ahead in the second quarter by 4.6% at an annual rate, matching the fastest quarterly growth rate since 2006.”

Despite the growth, a US think tank reported that in a recent poll “more than 70% of the population thinks the economy is still in a recession.” Political cartoons towards the yearend illustrate the middle class as being left behind as the gap between the poor and the elite widens. The Public Religion Institute reported that “the unemployment rate is still elevated, millions of Americans are out of work, and the recovery still has some distance left to run.”

In short, the economic tide did not lift all boats in the US or the Philippines. Only yachts and schooners did — rising further to the top. The average motor boats did not sink, but the Juan and Juana de la Cruzes were soaked. And, if the pattern continues, they will be hung to dry.

Across the Pacific, President B. S. Aquino 3rd crowed about the 7.2 percent growth of the Philippine economy in the second quarter of 2014, claiming the achievement as “one of Asia’s fastest-growing economies in Asia” after a meeting with President François Hollande of France at the Élysée Palace, Paris, on September 17, 2014.

Aquino further claimed that the Philippine economy will grow by 7 to 8 percent in 2015 since the country’s 10-million population show a median age of between 23 to 24 years old.

Further, the country has “a world-class workforce – young, educated, skilled, innovative, and dynamic in addition to the nearly 10 million overseas workers who send money home, kept local demand strong, the mall builders happy and showing profit in billions.”

Meanwhile, ordinary workers labor at less than P400 a day, according to the DOLE’s Bureau of Labor and Employment Services as reported by the National Statistics Authority.

Then in a third quarter 2014 survey pollster Social Weather Stations found that “around 12.1 million families considered themselves poor; that 55 percent of respondents considered themselves poor—three points higher than the 52 percent average in the four quarters of 2013.”

While migration is a common concern of both heads of state, Americans – in particular the middle and lower income groups – believe that immigrants contribute to a stagnating employment rate, depress wages and at worse, steal jobs from US Citizens.

Increase in immigrants, decline in US jobs
Last week the Center for Immigration Studies, a conservative group favoring sharp reductions in immigration, released a report “purporting to show that all net jobs created in the United States over the past 14 years have gone to immigrants, both legal and illegal. “

Using data collected by the Census Bureau, the report “note that between 2000 and 2014, the number of working-age native-born Americans with jobs declined by 127,000, while the number of immigrants with jobs climbed by 5.7 million.”

The conclusion?

“Far more native-born Americans would be working if immigrants hadn’t soaked up all the job growth since the turn of the 21st century.”

10,000 miles across the Pacific, President B. S. Aquino confirms the Philippine government commitment to send as many millions of Filipinos abroad since remittances keep the country’s economy alive and the peso strong.

Incidentally, remittances of Filipinos from the United States outpace those coming from other countries; even if there are more Filipinos in the Middle East than there are in the 50 states.

Of the close to $23 billion remitted by Overseas Filipinos in 2013, almost $10 billion came from the United States. However, there are only 3,306 OFWs in the US compared to 863,152 in the Middle East who remitted $4.3 billion in the same year.

Last two minutes
Both presidents face a future as an ordinary citizen in two years’ time. BO faces a disappointing retirement after being the first Black in the White House. BS, on the other hand, faces the possibility of prosecution for crimes committed while in office. The GMA-chicken coming home to roost.

The Democrats found themselves virtually voted out of Congress. The Liberal party has no viable presidential candidate and is suspected of unleashing the demolition dogs against Vice President Jojo Binay.

The Republicans routed the Democrats in the recent midterm elections that were dominated by criticism of the presidency. Obama is likely to hobble in his last two years in Washington as Republicans take full control of the US Congress.

There will be no comprehensive approach to immigration reform. America’s problems in the immigration system must be solved through a step-by-step common sense approach that starts with securing US borders, enforcing laws, and implementing robust enforcement measures.

Zero tolerance for illegal immigration including those who overstay their visas.

Implement a fully functioning Entry-Exit Visa Tracking System, from admission, during stay until final departure enforced or otherwise.

Workable Employment Verification and Workplace Enforcement using technology instead of a paper-based system susceptible to fraud.

Reforms in the Legal Immigration System. Visa and green card allocations need to reflect the needs of employers and the desire for these exceptional individuals to help grow our economy. Of particular concern are the needs of the agricultural industry, among others. It is imperative that these temporary workers are able to meet the economic needs of the country and do not displace or disadvantage American workers.

No special path to citizenship for individuals who break US immigration laws. Permanent residency would be an option but only if they admit violating America’s immigration laws, pass rigorous security and background checks and pay significant fines and back taxes.

Tourist and student visa applicants will continue to be welcome. Those intending to work, however – temporary or otherwise – face an uphill climb.

2 Comments

I do not agree how the columnist of this item compares the two presidents.In my opinion both are opposite in every means.Pres.Obama moves around within the bounds of the law. He has been challenged by the US Congress and Senate on his unpopular decissions and submitted himself for correction. On the other hand Aquino is a law breaker who insists he is always right what he does, going to the extent of abusing every branch of the government. All he did like the DAP for instance which was declared unconstitutional, BRIBERY and many more until now he is scot-free. A US president who does the same wont last long in office. We should not compare in any manner a US President to a Phil. President. for the fact that an individual who is below mediocre will never become a US president. All American Presidents before being elected into office had exemplary achievements and they are well prepared for the presidency. Unfortunately not all of them are successful in their tenure, America as I have said is not only a very much bigger nation but has so many obligations committed for. American Presidents whether they have failed or succeeded, as far as i know are still considered exemplary for one reason being once the most powerful individual in the world. Could you imagine what happens if the likes of Aquino become President of America? Barack Obama prepared for his job and he really worked for it since he entered politics. Do you think Aquino did the same?

I think you have your figures wrong here. You say $10 billion was remitted back to the philippines from the usa in 2013 & that there are 3,306 ofw’s working there. That means each ofw sent over $3,000,000 back in 2013. Please tell me what jobs they do as i would love one of those jobs.
Now america is right in getting rid of illegal immigrants, would the philippines accept illegal immigrants, no not if they were taking their jobs & getting benefits ( of any sort ) from the state.
& its strange how you mention obama as the filipino community over in the usa were advised by the people who write … philnews.com ……were telling filipinos to vote democrat as the republicans will ruin the country. Its obama who has & is still ruining the country, as of right now their debt is 17 trillion 933 bliion dollars & rising quickly. By the years end their debt will be over $18 trillion dollars. Its enough to make your eyes water, yet the american filipino tells people to vote democrat, it seems they want to bring the us down to the level of the philippines, if they did i wonder what country they would then move to to get a better life.